US officials have repeatedly asked Cairo to send weapons such as artillery shells, anti-tank missiles, air defense systems and small arms to Kiev to help it deal with ammunition shortages. But Egyptian officials, while not outright rejecting the requests, said privately that Egypt was not planning to send arms, the US media reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
At the same time, a senior State Department official described the talks with Egypt as productive and aimed at peace in Ukraine, the newspaper added.
In April, an American media outlet reported, citing leaked US intelligence documents, that Egypt decided not to supply rockets to Russia in March after talks with senior US officials, but to produce ammunition for Ukraine instead.
Egypt, despite its long diplomatic and military ties with Russia, has long been a key ally of Washington in the Middle East, receiving more than $1 billion a year in US military aid.
Western countries have been supplying Ukraine with military aid since the start of the Russian military operation in Ukraine in February 2022. The support evolved from light artillery munitions and training in 2022 to heavier weapons, including tanks, later that year and in 2023.
The Kremlin has repeatedly warned against further arms deliveries to Kiev, saying they would be regarded as a legitimate military target.